A Chumash house built at the Ventura County Fair, 1923. Harrington Papers, National Anthropological Archives, Smithsonian Institution.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

In 1769 Gaspar de Portolá and his expedition were the first Europeans to visit this valley which they named the Santa Clara River Valley. They found small bands of indigenous people living in settlements along the river. These were the Piru, Sespe and Mupu bands of the Chumash people.The inhabitants lived in caves along the Sespe River, Piru Creek and on the banks of the Santa Clara River. They were self-sufficient, gathering acorns from the oaks, hunting local game, and eating the edible berries and nuts found in great abundance. And there was always water available in the Sespe, the Santa Clara River, and Piru Creek. In addition, a lively trading tradition with other Chumash bands on the coast as well as other tribes in the area.

At the time of actual physical contact with Europeans (1769) their numbers are estimated to have been somewhere between 15,000 and 25,000 people. With the arrival of the Missions, most of the Chumash were forced to live near the Missions and become laborers for the Fathers. A few were able to retain their independence in the far reaches of the valley.

One of the last Chumash (or part Chumash) residents of our area was Candalaria Valenzuela (at the time of her death she was married to Jose Valenzuela). A member of the Sespe Tribe of Chumash Indians, she was born in about 1840 on Lord’s Creek, 5 miles west of Fillmore on what was to eventually be known as Rancho Sespe. She was raised by “Captain” Luis Francisco, a Chumash Shaman, who was also a “Mayordomo” at Mission San Buenaventura.

In the early 1900s she was interviewed by George Henley (see https://www.fillmorehistoricalmuseum.org/stories-2/george-henley-and-ses...)and a representative of the Smithsonian Institution who was studying Chumash culture and language. Henley explained that, “As the old Indian could only talk her dialect and poor Spanish, I got her interpretation in Spanish and afterwards turned into English.”

Candalaria described the time of Mission rule as slavery. The priests dominated the entire area. The indigenous people were required move near to the Mission, to attend Sunday mass and to convert to what was to them an alien religion. They were made to work in agriculture which was not how they had lived previously.Despite or perhaps because of the strictness of the regime, there was no revolt in Ventura County as there was in Santa Barbara County area in 1824.

According to Henley’s account, Candalaria said the Chumash initially saw the Americans as liberators. As the American forces approached the Mission, the priests told the Chumash that the Americans would kill everyone if Ventura fell into their hands. The Spanish and those of mixed descent were under arms, but broke and fled at the sight of the Americans. This is what George Henley reported as Candalariatelling him and one or the other of them mayconfused it with Battle at Cuhuenga.

Less questionable is Henley’s report on Candalaria’s description of how the Chumash lived within her memory. She was interviewed her about her language, legends, songs and customs. She, along with her friends, Petra Pico and Maria Marta, were master basket makers . She told Henley that she had taught several young American girls the art of Ventureño basket making. Candalaria’s baskets are on display in many museums.

Here are a few of the things Candalaria shared about Chumash life with Henley:

The Sespe river was a source of trout for the band. As soon as the water became clear they would go to the area above Devil’s Gate and camp. Numerous grinding holes in the rocks can be seen where they would have camped. Fish were dried in the sun without smoking.

Another food staple was acorns. They were left in the sun to partly dry and crack at which time the shell would be picked off. The acorns were then ried completely in the sun, ground into flour and put in an olla (large pot) and covered with water. This would stand for 10 hours, be drained, and then soaked again. The soaking would remove the bitter taste from the acorns. The acorn mash was then cooked with wild game.

Material for arrowheads and spearheads was obtained at “Grimes Pass”. Henley refers to this as obsidian but in fact it was probably fused shale.

On Thursday afternoon, 18 March 1915,Candalaria died of burns when the oil stove she attempted to start with kerosene exploded and caught her clothes on fire and burned her so badly she never recovered. She had been working on the Peirano Ranch on the Santa Ana Creek, now under Casitas Lake, and died at the home of Henry Leyva. She was considered the last Chumash basket maker.

On July 21, 2021, the Ventura County Sheriff’s Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (PCU) concluded an investigation into Fidel Duran, who was wanted in connection with his sale of narcotics to a Fillmore resident which resulted in an overdose.

On June 12, 2021, Fillmore Patrol deputies were dispatched to a residence in the City of Fillmore reference a non-fatal drug overdose. PCU detectives handled the investigation and identified Duran as the suspect who sold fentanyl to the victim.

On July 21, 2021, PCU detectives located Duran in the City of Camarillo and arrested him. Detectives served a search warrant at Duran’s residence in the City of Santa Paula. During the service of the search warrant, detectives seized evidence related to the original narcotics sale, as well as a loaded handgun with a removed serial number. Duran is a convicted felon and currently on State Parole which prohibits him from possessing firearms.

Duran was booked into the Ventura County Jail for 11352 HS- Sales of a Controlled Substance, 29800(a)(1) PC- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, 23900 PC- Possession of a Firearm with an Altered Serial Number, 30305(a)(1) PC- Possession of Ammunition by a Felon, and 3056 PC- Parole Violation.

Duran is ineligible to post bail due to his CDCR Parole Hold. He is scheduled for arraignment on July 23, 2021 in Ventura County Superior Court.

The public may contact investigators from the Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit at (805) 383-8700 or pharm.tip@ventura.org with additional information about this case, or any other information related to narcotics.

The Ventura County Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit is a task force made up of members from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Thousand Oaks Police Department; The primary mission of the task force is combatting the transfer of legal prescription medication and fentanyl to the illegal market. In addition, the task force works to identify and stop new trends of abuse among the younger population and investigates overdoses due to both prescription medication and illicit drug use.

Nature of Incident: Firearms Arrest Related to Narcotics Overdose Investigation
Report Number: 21- 76466
Location: 700 block of Encino Place- Santa Paula
Date & Time: July 21, 2021 – 1445 hours
Unit(s) Responsible: Ventura County Interagency Pharmaceutical Crimes Unit (PCU)
Ventura County Sheriff Narcotics Street Team
Camarillo Police Special Enforcement Detail
Camarillo Police Department Detective Bureau
Fillmore Police Department
National Guard Counter Drug Task Force
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(S) Fidel Duran Santa Paula 32
Prepared by: Sergeant John Hajducko
Approved by: Captain Brian Slominski

A 41-year-old transient was arrested for brandishing a knife, throwing a cement brick at multiple people causing one of the victims to sustain minor injuries, malicious mischief, and warrants.

On July 21, 2021, at approximately 12:50 p.m., deputies responded to a report of a man that brandished a knife in the 4300 block of Santa Clara Street. The suspect left and returned a short time later with a cement brick that he threw toward multiple people. The cement brick struck one of the victims causing minor injuries. During the investigation, deputies also learned the suspect entered a nearby vehicle without the owner’s permission and then left the area on foot.

Deputies and detectives connected the suspect to a possible vehicle and immediately began searching for him. During their search, Santa Paula Police Department received a call of a reckless driver and found the involved vehicle unoccupied in the 1400 block of Harvard Blvd in Santa Paula. Detectives established this was the same vehicle associated with the suspect and responded to the vehicle’s location. Detectives conducted surveillance and waited for the suspect to return. The suspect identified as Jason Hughes later returned and was taken into custody.

Hughes was arrested and booked at the Ventura County Pre-Trial Detention Facility for assault with a deadly weapon, exhibiting a deadly weapon, malicious mischief, parole hold, and a felony warrant. Hughes remains in custody with his bail set at $50,000. His next court date is set for July 23, 2021.

Anyone with information pertaining to this crime is urged to contact Detective Pewsey at the below listed number. The reporting party may remain anonymous.

The Fillmore Police Department encourages citizens to immediately report suspicious people and vehicles, and to promptly report any crime they come across by calling 911. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank members of the public for their on-going support and due diligence in providing information to assist our agency in solving crimes. We are better at what we do because of our community partnerships.

Nature of Incident: Suspect Arrested for Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Exhibiting a Deadly Weapon, Malicious Mischief and Warrants
Report Number: RB# 21-96090
Location: 4300 Block of Santa Clara Street, Fillmore, CA
Date & Time: July 21, 2021 @ 12:50 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Patrol Services and Fillmore Detective Bureau
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(A) Jason Hughes
Prepared by: Detective Shawn Pewsey #3867
Approved by: Captain Garo Kuredjian

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

Fillmore Unified School District

The Fillmore Unified School District is looking forward to having students return to school on August 19, 2021. They are planning for a full-time, in-person school day. School schedules and a Back to School letter are coming soon! For more information visit https://fillmorehighschool.fillmoreusd.org/apps/news/article/1468403

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Fillmore Police Department conducted a multi-location tobacco compliance check resulting in one business out of compliance.

On July 21, 2021, the Fillmore Detective Bureau and School Resource Officer (SRO) Unitconducted atobacco compliance check at businesses in Fillmore and Piru that sell tobacco. Eight locations were checked using a decoy under the age of 21 to confirm if they were in compliance with tobacco laws.

Tobacco use and nicotine addiction are serious health issues for the youth of our community. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and the Fillmore Police Department are dedicated to serving the community and protecting the health of our youth through actively enforcing tobacco laws and regulations prohibiting the sales of tobacco products to people under the age of 21.

One of Fillmore’s two SRO positions is funded by a California Department of Justice tobacco grant. The SRO proactively engages the youth in the Fillmore Unified School District and educates them about the dangers of tobacco while providing information aboutintervention programs to curb tobacco use. The SRO also works with the Detective Bureau to conduct compliance checks and investigations into businesses that may supply tobacco to youth in the community.

Nature of Incident: Tobacco Compliance Check
Report Number: 21-96097
Location: Fillmore/Piru, CA
Date & Time: 7/21/2021 12:00 PM
Unit(s) Responsible: Fillmore Detective Bureau/School Resource Officer Unit
Prepared by: Deputy Jonathan Schnereger
Approved by: Captain Garo Kuredjian

Typically at this time the members of the Fillmore FFA would be preparing for the Ventura County Fair.

However with it’s cancellation for the second year in a row due to the pandemic, Fillmore High School students are preparing for a brand new opportunity.

The FFA Chapters that make up the Ventura Section decided to come together and put on the first Heritage Valley Youth Livestock Show and Sale. This event allows FFA members from the area to have a “near normal” event in which they will show their livestock projects in market and showmanship classes.

This showcase of their projects gives the members the opportunity to show off how well they have raised and trained livestock. Differing from the typical auction the Fair holds, students are responsible for finding buyers for their products in the form of a private sale. Students have been sending letters to potential buyers sharing their livestock experiences and goals for the future in hopes to garner donations and livestock purchases.

With FUSD support, 14 students from Fillmore High School decided to raise livestock projects this spring. These students, knowing the challenges that would be in store, forged ahead to continue their education and growth. With the upcoming show students are busy with final preparations such as grooming and securing buyers for their projects. The Heritage Valley Junior Livestock Show will be held at Santa Paula High School’s brand-new school farm facilities on July 31st.

To learn more and to support the Fillmore FFA with a donation or purchase scan the QR code. Donations can also be sent to Fillmore FFA Boosters PO Box 697 Fillmore, CA 93016. For more information either FFA advisor is available at the email fillmoreffa@gmail.com

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Courtesy Martha Gentry, Executive Director, Fillmore Historical Museum

Last Saturday, July 25, 2021, 45 members, volunteers, officers, and past officers of the Fillmore Historical Museum met in the Fillmore Depot to celebrate the reopening of the Museum with a lunch and tour of the 1887 Depot, 1905 Hinckley House, and 1919 Bunkhouse. The 1968 caboose, the garage containing the 1930 Model A and the Bardsdale Post Office were also open for visits.

Museum volunteers have spent the last year during the Covid-19 closing to update, renew and replace many of the Museum displays. Lights have been added to most of the display cases, photos scanned and identified, artifacts have been rearranged. Many of the items which have been on display have been carefully packed away and replaced by new donations or newly discovered items. Our collection of musical instruments and sound reproduction devices has been brought to the forefront in a new display case. Recordings have been digitized and now can be heard by following QR codes on your cellphone camera.

Museum staff has added stories of local community members whose families have been in the area from its early days. These stories and photos are now displayed in the “Pioneer Room” on the second floor of the Bunkhouse.

We are also pleased to announce that the local firemen’s group, who many years ago purchased, restored and lovingly maintained Fillmore’s antique American LaFrance fire engine will be donating it to the Museum. Now the work begins as we must build a building for it onsite. There will be much more about this in the coming months.

We, on the Board of Directors, are excited about the future of the Museum and hope that you in the communities of Fillmore, Bardsdale, Piru, and Sespe will visit and support your local Museum.

The Museum has been in operation for nearly 50 years, collecting memorabilia, photos, and stories and making these available to families and friends, school children and tourists.

On behalf of all the current and past directors and volunteers at the Museum we thank you for your support both financial and in donations of family artifacts, photos and stories. We look forward to your visit. The Museum is located at 340 Main St. Stop by for a visit to see what is new or just stop by for a chat to tell us your story. We are open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., closing between 12 noon and 1 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can also visit us on Facebook and on our website, FillmoreHistoricalMuseum.org. You can also give us a call at 805 524 0948.